I’m a born and bred Brissie girl, so nothing warms the cockles of my heart more than to see free community events and the spirit of Christmas combined and available in my home city. And guess what?! A sparkling program of free events to bring festive cheer to Brisbane this Christmas was recently announced by Brisbane’s Lord Mayor Graham Quirk! The city’s annual Christmas program, Christmas in Brisbane, provides free activities and entertainment for residents and will be staged across the CBD, South Bank and Roma Street Parkland. This year’s program will build on the success of Christmas 2016, which attracted almost 700,000 visitors!
Councillor Quirk advised that “The Christmas Tree has undergone an innovative makeover this year following a Brisbane Innovate challenge in May to design a new clean, green and sustainable energy source. The new solar technology will power 8000 LED lights with a new LED star and even a new in-built soundtrack, all designed and built by Queensland-based business LitePix.”
He announced that Rhonda Burchmore and Australia’s Eurovision entrant Isaiah, alongside locals Katie Noonan and ABC KIDS band Lah-Lah will star at this year’s Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols at the Riverstage, and there will also be a pre-show dance spectacular featuring hundreds of young dancers and singers from performing arts schools all over Brisbane.
“Additionally, we are thrilled to have a new local story to light up City Hall in the Gold Lotto City Hall Lights,” Cr Quirk said. “This new animation will be a narrated story about a young boy who must save Christmas by finding the lost star for the top of the tree, penned by local writer Yvonne Mes.”
Other great events announced include a special program of Christmas Movies in the Park in Roma Street Parkland; as well as the return of the magical Enchanted Garden light installation in the Spectacle Garden, and South Bank will be staging a fun-filled Christmas Village complete with gift markets in the Arbour, a chance to visit Santa, dive-in Christmas movies on Streets Beach and nightly carol singalongs at River Quay.
But wait there is more and it’s all listed below for you!
Headline events
How fabulous are these events? And they are all FREE with no bookings required!! I’d love to be at the lighting of the Christmas tree, see the Christmas Parade, and experience the Christmas Carols at the Riverstage. Of course, I also must see The Enchanted Garden and the Fireworks Spectacular! Oh dear, I think I want to go to it all!
For more information and to plan your Christmas in Brisbane visit, go to visitbrisbane.com.au and visitbrisbane.com.au/christmas.
Will you be going along to any of these events? Tell me which ones most appeal to you! If you live far from Brisbane, I’d love to hear what Christmas activities take place in your town or city!
Ciao for now,
Link up here at WOTM or with another of us in the Lovin’ Life Linky team:
Leanne of Deep Fried Fruit
Lyndall of Seize the Day Project
Kathy of 50 Shades of Age
Deborah of Debbish
and Jo of And Anyways
It doesn’t matter where you link up as it will magically appear on all six blogs.
18 Comments
So many fabulous events to choose from. When our children were small, we really made an effort to take them to special Christmas events. Our teenage son still LOVES Christmas and decorates our house with lights every year. It’s such a special time and a lovely opportunity to make precious memories 🙂 x #TeamLovinLife
I’m really proud of Brisbane for holding these events and for free! It’s such a troubled world at the moment so it’s lovely to see community events like this for Christmas here at home. You’re right – they are a wonderful opportunity to create special memories. xo
Oh this is great Min. I remember when I lived in the city I often wondered what was on and have to admit – the advent of the internet and social media makes it much easier to find things! Although I still hear about things later and wonder why I didn’t know about it at the time.
I’m not a huge fan of that time of year but have some friends visiting at various stages, so will have to keep in the loop at this end!
You’re right Deb – the internet and social media make it so much easier to keep up with all that is happening. I’ve actually found some of these events as individual ‘events’ on Facebook. They may ALL be on there – I haven’t had a good look yet. But they will be helpful as reminders! 🙂
It all sounds fabulous Min – we only have that sort of thing for Australia Day and it seems to have lost its lustre over the last few years – maybe Perth should be focusing on Christmas instead.
Oh Leanne, Perth should get some Christmas events sorted! Do they put up a Christmas tree? They could have some fabulous events at the absolutely beautiful Kings Park!
Heeeeey Brisbane, looking good! Friends of mine take their kids to the tree lighting every year. Even now that they live over two hours away. I love the tradition of that. Ahhhh, all warm and fuzzy now thinking of Christmas. <3
I love tradition too! Reading about these events has given me the warm and fuzzies too. Good to see you back here Suger! Yay! xo
I’ll have to make plans for the enchanted gardens this year. It looked great last year but I never went, which is ridiculous considering I work in the CBD!!
I am so intrigued by the enchanted gardens. I adore nature and if you add twinkling lights…and Christmas warm and fuzzies…I am a gonner! lol I will get there to see this for sure!
How strange! I was writing about these exact events this morning for one of my hotel clients. Brisbane does have some of the best free Christmas events. I would love to see the Enchanted Gardens at Roma St Parklands. #TeamLovinLife
What a coincidence Kathy! I really want to see the enchanted gardens too. I would truly be enchanted for sure. Wish I could meet up with you there. Then it would be a very special event indeed!
I never got involved with any of this sort of stuff in Sydney – it all seemed so hard, but we’re looking to do some of the events around the coast this year. I’m not big on crowds though, & hate sitting around waiting for something to start – I’m such a grouch!
I’m not big on crowds either Jo … but I’ll brave crowds for the right thing. Like going to see Adele (so very worth it) and some of these events would be very much worth it to me too – in order to experience the gorgeous atmosphere and soak up some Christmas spirit! 🙂 BTW – you’re so not a grouch! lol
I took my two eldest grandchildren to the lighting of the tree a couple of years ago Min. I was only thinking the other day of taking myself and hubby in one night to check out the Christmas events. Thanks for the info. I love this time of year xx
I bet the grandchildren loved it Sue (and hopefully you guys too)! xo
I love Christmas and these events seem like so much fun, Min. I have to add Brisbane to my bucket list. If I decide to go there, it will definitely be around Christmas.
I hope you come and visit Brisbane one day Agness. I’m sure you would love it and Christmas time is a wonderful time to visit. Might be a bit hot though so bring your bathers! 🙂 x